Electric computer games, Beast Mastery hunting and obscure references

A Skyrate’s Life is a self-indulgent series of posts reminiscing about my time in the Skyrates roleplaying community, primarily through posting and talking about my remaining RP channel logs.

Once again, we appear half way through something and have to work out what’s going on the hard way. For once, this isn’t the fault of my Internet connection – I’m not participating in this entry, I just happen to join the server at this point.

Last week’s entries were characterised mostly by people relaxing and chatting in the tavern, exploring their relationships and the more recognisable, human aspects of their characters. I mentioned in the notes that one of the things that really works about this style of RP is that it gives us a chance to look at the mundane, day-to-day lives of our characters in between the action and adventure.

Our Skyrates don’t have the same sort of lives that we do – I certainly don’t have to fight three groups of pirates on my journey to work. I don’t even fly to work, I use a car! This is because the world hasn’t yet cracked into small islands and floated up into the air. Spending time in the Tavern lets us look at what we’d be like, and what kind of people we would encounter in a world like this.

But then, it’s not always so peaceful around here. When I said ‘between the action and adventure’, I wasn’t merely referring to the flying and shooting that our characters do ‘off camera’. In a world this inherently dangerous, nowhere is completely safe.

It all starts fairly normally. Just another day in the Rotor and Prop…

New Characters:

Amelia Brightmoon: Female wolf, it seems. No DP entry, and I didn’t interact with her personally.

Knappekat: Male cat belonging to Red. Has appeared before, but for some reason I didn’t write an entry for him then.

Jelani Mpunju: Male eland from a distant region. He appears to be here as some manner of ambassador or explorer. He is rarely seen without his spear.

Frank Whittle: Male monkey, doctor at the local hospital. He has no entry in DP, and I’m not even sure if he was ever seen again!

Notes:

I left my client running overnight to capture the entire event. Unfortunately, it broke and lost connection shortly after I went to bed, so I got very little.

At the beginning this entry doesn’t look so remarkable. Amelia and Silura are flirting outrageously just outside the R&P while Mairi is most irritated at for an unknown reason and decides to drink everything. For the most part the other patrons shrug and get on with whatever they were doing.

What was the argument in the hangar about? Whatever it was drove Mairi to drink. It can’t have been Markus, as he hasn’t arrived yet. I don’t think Karrde was back at this stage either, so who was responsible for Mai’s foul mood? I fear it need remain a mystery.

Towards the end, at least half a line is just not there. This isn’t my HTML or find-and-replace tool screwing up, it’s like that in my original plain text logs. I think I used to just do select all, copy and paste, so I have no idea what happened there…

We’ll be able to see the consequences of today’s events in the next log, but the actual EXCITING ACTION is lost. I wonder if there’s another log of this event out there somewhere?

The log – such as it is – is after the cut.

RP 17/07/08 ~0500?

[Ext. Rotor and Prop]
[Also Int. Rotor and Prop]

{Static}*Burrito Loco chuckles at the shouting in the hangarAmelia Brightmoon: “The past is a tool we use to learn from. A book. And like a book, it does not make decisions for you, but enables you to make the best ones yourself.” She leaned down, kissing Silura on the side of her snout. “Whatever has happened to you cannot be undone or changed, but you may learn from it and use it to make better decisions from here on.”*Mairi enters the tavern and makes a beeline for the bar, striding up to it and practically vaulting over it as she snags a bottle from the rack behindKnappekat: Hmm… *looks up at the eland* … don’t land, huh?*Mahmoth eyes the cat leaping over the bar. “Aught better, Mailing?” *Burrito Loco follows Mairi into the R&PJelani Mpunju: “Yes. We tether a number of ropes to the ground. Our craft was designed not for speed or maneuverability, but to transport a number of us safely over vast distances.”*Silura sighs softly and then gently murmurs. “Thank you.”Jelani Mpunju: “If fully stocked, we move at a leisurely 80kilometers for every hour. Yet, we can stay aloft for more than a week without need for landing.”*Mairi takes the bottle and glass, muttering something vague and possibly obscene as she shrugs at MahmothKnappekat: Kinda like them Order… oh, hey, Mairi… err…Amelia Brightmoon: “You are forever welcome my dear Silura.” She laid down on her back, stretching softly and looking up at the sky. Nothing else need be said right now.Jelani Mpunju: “Order?” *he turns and bows to Mairi and BL as they both enter**Markus Jarnhann checks his autopilot, having made sure that the Ascendant Rage was on its proper course. He smiled slightly, as he began carving again. He should be back at the R&P’ skylet before *too* long… *Silura watches the sky with Amelia, her form seemingly completely relaxed. The slight breeze, the sun moving slowly but inexorably downwards, planes buzzing overhead, and a beautiful person here with her… *Knappekat looks toward BL and shrugs as he picks up on Mairi’s demeanor.Jelani Mpunju: ((Marvin gaye’s ‘Let’s Get it On’ begins to play in the background…))Jelani Mpunju: “She seems not quite in the best of moods…”Amelia Brightmoon: “This is peace. My people call it Joshia. When nothing stands between your spirit and the sky.” She slid her paw over Silura’s stomach and interlaced their fingers gently.*Mairi takes glass and bottle to her favorite couch, dropping down on it and pouring out a glass of clear liquid flecked with gold *Burrito Loco shakes his head at Knappe and heads over to MairiBurrito Loco: Looks like you had a disagreement with some folk on the way over, eh?Mairi: hm? oh, we all agreed eventually*Mairi smirks slightly *Jelani Mpunju finishes the wine, and signlas for another, but different one. *Mahmoth considers, passes Jel a second wine, then sets the Rag aside, stands, nods to the various present, and wanders out. *Silura replies softly and quietly, “I’d prefer to just call it happiness right now…”Burrito Loco: Indeed*Amelia Brightmoon smiles and sighs, “Yes. This is happiness.” *Silura shifts slightly as the breeze picks up slightly, just enough to make her want to move a little closer towards the warmth of the other person there with her. *Mairi takes a long drink from her glass and exhales sharply *Jelani Mpunju looks to Knappekat. “Tell me of yourself, Knappekat. I know so little about the denizens of these lands.” *Mairi takes a deep breath, knocks back the last of the glass and exhales, pouring herself another glassKnappekat: Me? Oh, I dunno… *he shrugs* Born and raised on Valvia, my dad hauled freight, split up with ma a while back… went to Echo, got my wings… been flying ever since.*Amelia Brightmoon was all to willing to take it a step further and pull Silura on top of her, back to chest, so they could both look up at the sky together. *Markus Jarnhann checks the record player in the cockpit off to the side, and he grins slightly, humming to himself as a song quietly fills his cockpit.Jelani Mpunju: “Do you fly to protect the skies, or to haul goods to and fro?”Jelani Mpunju: ((what song, markus? :D))*Silura smiles and sighs happily, relaxed atop the wolf as the pair of them look upwards at the sky.Knappekat: Heh… I fly for gold, fella. Seriously, though, I do all sorts of stuff. Whatever jobs seem like they’ll pay.Amelia Brightmoon: “Would you like to go inside Silura? Maybe grab something to eat? I have been flying all day and I regret to say I could use a bit of food myself.”Jelani Mpunju: “I see. Sorry if I intrude with my questions, but I am here to study all aspects of the culture.”Markus Jarnhann: ((The Campbells Are Coming , Rim.))Jelani Mpunju: ((Rim? Who is this Rim you speak of? ;)))Silura: “That sounds good although… I don’t know if I would be completely welcome…” *Silura glances towards the edge of the skyland* “And if we’re going in there I should definately put my boots on. Incase there’s any broken glass left.”*Mairi takes another long drink, though not quite as much as before, this time looking to take at least three swigs to drain itKnappekat: Eh. S’no bother. *sips his drink*Burrito Loco: Might want to slow down thereBurrito Loco: Or you’ll be lucky to stagger out*Jelani Mpunju has worked his way to the end of the wine, and is feeling rather warm. Perhaps only a bit tipsy, which is something he’s most certainly not accustomed.Jelani Mpunju: “Hmmmmm. I think I know why drink of this sort is so popular.”Jelani Mpunju: ((noone is tending at the moment, right?))Amelia Brightmoon: “Then let’s go find your boots.” She smiled and rolled the vixen over, now looking down at her and swept back her silver hair. “Would it be wrong of me to tell you, you are beautiful?”*Silura smiles at her. “No. As long as I can say the same back.”Amelia Brightmoon: “You may do so after this.” She leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth, a very warm, very passionate embrace.*Mairi shrugs at BL, “gotta room, ‘m good so long’s I c’n make it upstairs”Burrito Loco: ‘sposeBurrito Loco: You’ve had that much fun in your tin can out there?Mairi: Pappa ‘Rito, you’d ge’mme upstairs t’bed, wouldn’ya? yer allus takin’ cara folkMairi: huh? yessir, sure’nuff tis shiny*Silura returns the kiss, her eyes closing as the pair of them embrace before they have to get up in order to go and fetch those boots. *Burrito Loco sighs heavily, “yeah, I would”Mairi: yer a fine ol’ donkey, Rito, duncha ne’er change*Jelani Mpunju turns to Mairi. “Do you need any help, mairi?”Jelani Mpunju: “I would be more than happy to assist.”*Ennia lands her plane and taxies down the runway, the bright pink Lancaster slowly moving into the hangar.Mairi: ‘mfine, Pappa’rito’s takin’ good carra’me*Larkos pulls up the collar on his long trenchcoat past his tusks, hiding everything but his eyes, which scan the grounds slowly and methodically as he walks towards the tavern. The squirrel is the target, he reminds himself, and sidles around the corner of the tavern, stopping when he’s fully into the shadow and crouching down to avoid the window. He patiently watches the approach to the bar.Burrito Loco: Dun’ worry ’bout it, I’ll take care of her*Cecil Lancaster :: A partly-covered Mantis pulls into the hangar behind Ennia, and Cecil steps out, headed for the tavern. *Burrito Loco settles in while Mairi drinks herself to sleepJelani Mpunju: “Of course. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”Cecil Lancaster: ((whoops, or not))Cecil Lancaster: ((dinner ))Burrito Loco: ((Cecil pauses and decides to fiddle with his plane instead))*Markus Jarnhann glances up as his craft’s speakers blares the three minute warning; He slides into his seat, and cracks his neck. He spots the skylet in the closing distance, and smiles, putting his carving in his pocket. He whistles the tune he’d just been listening to, to himself, as he vectors the heavily modified black, gold, and red Vengeance onto approach.Jelani Mpunju: ((fiddle fiddle))*Ennia jumps out of the Pretty Little Dirty and stretches. The smallish squirrel is clearly alone as she heads to the tavern, a spring in her step.Ennia: ((Is that what they call it now?”))Jelani Mpunju: ((hahahahaha ))*Amelia Brightmoon breaks the kiss gently and helps Silura to her feet, beginning the search for the vixen’s boots in the fading light. *Mairi refills the now emptied glass, sprawled out across the couch with her head dangling down *Markus Jarnhann runs through his final approach procedures, throttling down, engaging his flaps, and lowering his gear, as he too touches the Ascendant Rage down on the runway. He taxied rather rapidly towards the hangar, taking up his usual parking spot, as he ran through his final flight checks, before powering down completely. *Silura knows where they are so they’re not that hard to find. Once the pair of them have her boots Silura starts to slip them on before tying the laces on what look like a pair of black coloured and much worn work boots. *Mairi lifts her head for another swig, slowing to maintain rather than knock herself stupid *Jelani Mpunju yawns, himself. “It is perhaps best time for me to leave,” he says. The eland rises and exits quickly. *Jelani Mpunju : Upon exiting, the beast stops. There is an almost indescernable quality to the air- his kind have become very attuned to danger, and he feels it is unsafe. Realizing his spear is still in the tavern, he quickly heads back in and grabs it. *Knappekat gives a vague nod to Jelani as the large beast leaves, then returns for his spear. *Jelani Mpunju heads back outside, but casts looks about for predators. “I smell no large cats, no reptiles. But remember, there are others that pose daner in these Western lands.” he walks towards the airstrip, constantly checking over his shoulder. *Markus Jarnhann whistles to himself, as he slips on belt and holster suspenders, sliding the.45 from his side into his right hip holster, for a strongside draw, and the even larger .44 magnum revolver into its cross-draw on his left hip. On his shoulder is a smaller holdout, a small, non-descript automatic, and opposite is his ubiquitous, large, heavy bladed fighting knife. He grins, and slides the black duster over his shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned. *Larkos slides a 1911 handgun out of his right jacket pocket and pulls the slide back, cocking the pistol, and thumbs the safety off before placing it into the inside pocket of the trenchcoat. He takes another 1911 out of the left jacket pocket and holds it in his left hand as he continues to check towards the airstrip; he notes the eland’s passing but does not move to attract attention or shoot. *Ennia doesn’t hear the weapon over the sound of the planes and engines in the hangar. She waves at Jelani as he passes. *Markus Jarnhann grabs two long stick magazines for the automatic, and slips them into his coat pocket, as he pushes the trench back, and clips on the magazine pouch for his 1911. He shrugs slightly, and opens his cockpit, clambering down the ladder. He at last slides the little carving into his pocket, as he starts back for the R&P.Burrito Loco: ((man, I feel under armed with a mere two 1911s and a huge calibre revolver))Silura: ((Funny how many people have 1911’s…))Larkos: ((they be good weapons, mon :P))HK-47: ((Statement: You meatbags enjoy killing each other too much.))Burrito Loco: ((they’re damn fine guns, good enough that special ops still uses ’em, NATO be damned))*Jelani Mpunju waves to Ennia as she passes him as well.Alex Webster: ((I wanted to go to bed about an hour ago. Now I’m compelled to find out what’s going to happen with all the firearms…))Jelani Mpunju: ((– has a spear and could take a good 8 vital shots before going down, known via experience. How many spears through the stomach can you all take, hmmm?))
Larkos: ((Actually, Jelani, this is somewhat preplanned, so…))Jelani Mpunju: ((I knoooow))Larkos: ((oh right, you’re rimdar XD))Jelani Mpunju: ((he’s not getting involved. Just saying if you want to start a fight with him, be prepared. And yes this is Rim’s alt))Markus Jarnhann: ((I love mine, IRL. Everything I’ve got strapped on me, I own, IRL, excepting the micro uzi.))Burrito Loco: ((hmm, couldn’t tell you, never been speared, but last count was 5 rounds of ammo and 6 shivs/knives ;)))Markus Jarnhann: ((…lol, nice.))*Larkos notes the squirrel as she passes the eland and narrows his eyes slightly, confirming from memory that this was the target. He waits until Jelani is out of eyeshot and then moves swiftly, rounding the corner as he comes up from the crouch, making his way to the door. “Ennia Smith?” he asks, curiously politely…though the weapon pointed at her stomach betrays his demeanor.Jelani Mpunju: ((rather impressive!))Jelani Mpunju: ((smith? ))Alex Webster: ((skybrary confirms that is indeed her name.))*Ennia turns to look at him. “Yeah…” she takes a look at the gun. “Mind pointing that thing somewhere else?” *Markus Jarnhann makes his way towards the bar, whistling cheerfully all the way. He’d gotten some things taken care of, he was on vacation, and all was well. He pauses as he rounds the corner, and spots the tavern… *Larkos smiles, though rather coldly. “There has been a contract set out on you, Miss Smith, one that I wished to fulfill personally, given the history between my fleet an-” He sees the polar bear, heavily armed, and makes a split-second decision. “Goodbye, Miss,” the boar says as he shoots twice, though his eyes are on Markus, and then bolts for the corner of the tavern again, not even checking to see if his bullets hit. *Cecil Lancaster hears gunshots and runs toward the source of the sound. *Jelani Mpunju hears shots as he reaches his craft, and hurries the rest of the way. He makes sure all hands are present and accounted for and locks down the Ndege for the night. *Burrito Loco jerks upright out of his daze, pulling a gun from under his jacketJelani Mpunju: ((It was a firefight!))*Mairi flicks her ear in a delayed drunken reaction to the shots fired, taking swift action she decides to immediately take another swig of her drinkKnappekat: Huh? Whazza?*Markus Jarnhann blinks, and at the sound of the first gunshot, his hand went under his coat, snapping the heavy revolver out from under his duster. At the second shot, he starts running; his eyes realizing who’d been hit. A split second later, he’d spotted the shooter, his thumb slamming back the hammer, as his finger depressed the trigger, sending a heavy .44 slug towards the fleeing boar. “HOY! STOP!” *Ennia blinks at Larkos before the bullets hit her. She stares at him as he runs, slowly collapsing to the ground, clutching her stomach.Darkstar((where is Ennia?))Ennia: ((outside the bar.))*Burrito Loco bolts outside to asses the damage *Cecil Lancaster arrives just in time to see Ennia sink to the ground. He runs over and tries to catch her and help her down. He draws in a hiss of air through his teeth as he recognizes her. *Knappekat swivels on his stool, then back to the bar, having long grown accustomed to the odd gunshot near the tavern.Darkstar ::Lars::*walks from the park whislting a tune, when he hears a gunshot. He runs toward it, dumbly.* ENNIA!Cecil Lancaster: Ennia? Ennia, can you hear me?*Ennia ‘s scream is caught in her throat, coming out like a hoarse cry. She looks down at her paws, which are quickly becoming bloody. “That guy… he shot me…”Darkstar ::Lars::*kneals down beside his sister* Ennia, get up! Get up!*Larkos dives as he approaches the corner, trenchcoat flapping behind him, and tucks into a roll just as the slug slams into the wall, scattering tile shards over him. He hisses quietly, the fleeting glimpse as he rolled telling him there were many more out there than he wanted, and runs parallel to the side wall, straight for the park, though a different section than the one Lars had come out of. He’s not being especially quiet, yet, and there’s a decent trail to follow.Darkstar ::Lars::*glares at “that guy” and begins rung after teh trenchcoated man**Burrito Loco sees the fleeing figure, and takes a few shots, but he’s really too far away at this point to expect much *Burrito Loco bends over EnniaDarkstar ::Lars::*follows the trail and runs as fast as he can, which is pretty dang fast* I’m gonna get you, you cheap son of a…Cecil Lancaster: Hey!Burrito Loco: {static}*Cecil Lancaster yells at Lars. “Help!” *Markus Jarnhann spots Cecil going after Ennia… as he continues after the Boar. “…Lad, take care o’ ‘er! I’ll ‘andle this.” He continues running after Larkos, his hand thumbing back the hammer, as he snaps off another shot at the shooter. *Ennia wimpers, blood soaking her flight suit.Cecil Lancaster: We’re gonna get you some help….*Cecil Lancaster ‘s heart is pounding in his chest.Darkstar ::Lasr::*looks back at Markus* I got this, you go back and call an ambulance.Markus Jarnhann: ((Darkstar, this has been pre-planned, please, for the love of god, knock it off.))Cecil Lancaster: ‘rrito, go get some help!*Burrito Loco removes his jacket, and rips his shirt and ties it around EnniaDarkstar((didn’t know, sorry…))Larkos: ((:P more to the IC point, Lars, it is your sister that is dying there…))Larkos: ((Markus, be nice :P))Markus Jarnhann: ((that was nice! :P))Darkstar((Don’t get snappy at me, buddy.))Darkstar ::Lars::*gives in to Markus–even if he is rude :P– and goes back to Ennia’s side*Cecil Lancaster: I’ll….*Cecil Lancaster looks around, frightened. “I’ll get some help…”Burrito Loco: GO! Cecil*Ennia lifts her paw off her stomach, the bullet holes clearly visible. “What’s happenin….” *Cecil Lancaster takes off toward the tavern like a shot, his labcoat smeared all down the front with blood. *Larkos hits the treeline and goes for another twenty feet as it starts to be more dense, not slowing down as bullets tear into the growth around him until he’s a good bit into the woodland section of the park.Then, he abruptly stops his speed, swinging around behind a tree, and starts stealthily making his way in, deeper and more sideways, as he takes both guns out.Darkstar ::lars::*kneals over Ennia agian* Sis…*Cecil Lancaster burts into the tavern at a run, skidding to a halt.Cecil Lancaster: Help!Cecil Lancaster: Ennia’s been shot!Knappekat: What the hell?*Burrito Loco puts his jacket over Ennia and raises her feet, sliding a handy piece of masonry under them to keep them elevated *Cecil Lancaster pivots on a heel and dashes for the radio, picking up the mic.Burrito Loco: It’s gonna be fine*Cecil Lancaster fumbles with the controls, his hands shaking a bit as he tries to remember the frequency that the ER uses. *Knappekat slides off his barstool and limps to the kitchen, where he gathers up an armful of clean towels. He makes his way as quick as he can to the door. *Markus Jarnhann blasts into the woodline, himself, still a good distance behind the fleeing boar. He bounds from tree to tree, keeping a low profile, as he swivels his head, looking for the assailant. With a pause, he drops in behind a second tree, trying to pick up a track… or a scent. *Ennia whines softly at the movement. *Burrito Loco continues to talk to Ennia and watch her to make sure she’s breathing *Knappekat looks around, then makes his way to Ennia and BL. *Mairi blinks slowly at the bloodied squirrel in a lab coat, not hearing much as she takes another drinkCecil Lancaster: [radio] Help! This is the R&P tavern, gunshot victim, female squirrel, mid twenties, in front of the hangars. Send an ambulance!Knappekat: Here… got some towels… geez…Burrito Loco: Thanks…Darkstar ::Lars::*is obiously freaking out* Ennia… Talk to me… You know it hurts me when you whine.*Burrito Loco puts one under her head, one under her feet and drapes a few over her *Ennia is breathing shallowly and looks at Lars. “I don’ whine…” she responds lazily, clearly going into shock. *Knappekat steps back… mostly so Ennia won’t see his expression when he looks at her.Burrito Loco: EnniaBurrito Loco: Talk to meEnnia: ‘rrito?Darkstar ::lars::*lightly slaps Ennia* Don’t you go to sleep! You can’t sleep, Kincaid isn’t here, and I know you can’t sleep without him!Burrito Loco: That’s rightBurrito Loco: Just talk to me*Markus Jarnhann mutters to himself, catching just a waft of a scent from deeper inside the park’s woodline. He slides the revolver into his pocket, as he pulls the 1911 from its holster, and jacks a round into the chamber, before thrusting it back into his pocket. He quickly draws the big .44 from his pocket, grunting a bit as he starts working his way further in. After a short while, he comes upon a stream… and pauses, dropping to a knee behind a tree.Burrito Loco: C’monEnnia: ‘y brother’s an idiot….Burrito Loco: Yeah, I guess he isDarkstar ::Lars:: That’s better.*Burrito Loco cracks a smile with some great difficulty *Larkos sees a small clearing up ahead and decides to take his chances at a better position, instead of being possibly set on by multiple pursuers. He turns his head to observe his trail, watching for pursuers, but doesn’t see any. Even so, though, he scowls as he realizes he’s leaving a scent, and drops down behind one of the logs in the clearing, waiting for a telltale sign of a splash.Darkstar ::Lars::*chuckles very nervously* Not everyone could be the good smart sibling…*Ennia blinks slowly at BL. “Bu’ I like ‘im anyway.”Burrito Loco: Got any good stories about him and you?Darkstar ::Lars:: Tell BL about that time you tied me to a fence post.Burrito Loco: Yeah, that sounds like a good story, let’s hear it*Markus Jarnhann pauses… cursing under his breath. He had to cross, one way or the other… It wasn’t an optimal place to do it… but he took off at a dead run, blasting through the water helter skelter…Darkstar((good Beatles song…))*Ennia is talking a bit more slowly now, and she looks pale. “I tied ‘im to a fence post…’cuz he broke my model plane…”Darkstar ::Lars::*claps in front of Ennia’s face– he is obviously desperate and scared* Who bulds a modle of a Cr-4p?Darkstar ((model* ))*Larkos whips his head and paws up over the log, and using it as support, fires two rounds into the spray that’s been thrown up, cursing as he realizes he can’t get anything close to a good bead with the madness of the water, even as he congratulates his foe for a good strategy…but he wasn’t the only one. Larkos kicks the log he’s behind towards the bottom of the stream, risking a shot or two even as he dives for the next one.Ennia: You did.Darkstar ::Lars:: psh… That was… I though it was a Seahawk..*Markus Jarnhann takes one final shot from the heavy .44, pausing for the moment, as he dropped back behind his log. He thrusts it into its holster, and curses out loud, as he quietly draws the 1911 at his side. He growls again, waiting to see if the shooter would take the bait… *Burrito Loco to Lars, you got a jacket or something?Darkstar ::LArs::*takes off his shirt and hands it to BL**Burrito Loco drapes it over Ennia’s legsBurrito Loco: Gotta keep her warm….*Burrito Loco eyes the blood pooling on the ground, and holds a very respectable poker face*** ANNOUNCEMENT INCOMING ***
lag? i kick servers like maradona kicks soccer balls*** END OF ANNOUNCEMENT ****Ennia moans softly. *Knappekat :: a siren, familiar to any regular of the R&P, sounds in the middle distance, gradually growing louder as an ambulance speeds up to the tavern. Two attendants hop out and jog over to the group huddled around Ennia. *Larkos is no newcomer to gunfights, and he takes the bait with a less naiviety than most would. Instead of popping up and blasting away, he simply peeks out the side of the log with both guns in front of him in prone position. Seeing nothing doesn’t really surprise him, but he holds his fire, waiting patiently for his pursuer’s next move.Burrito Loco: Two shots, gut, she’s heading into shock and she’s lost a lot of bloodBurrito Loco: Your party now*Ennia chooses this moment to black out.Darkstar ::Lars::*Stands up and lets the attends do there job* Ennia, just hold on…*Markus Jarnhann grunts slightly, and sets the 1911 at his side. If the other guy was going to play a waiting game… he’d reload. He fished out the heavy revolver, and a speedloader, forcing spent casings to the side as he slammed the speedloader home, and twisted, letting the rounds slip into the cylinder, which he snapped back. Using his off hand… he took a spent casing… and flicked it out to the right side of his log, trying to draw his opponent into looking, before he poked his head up, both pistols in hand. *Knappekat :: the attendants nod, and set to work. One lifts the towels, examines the wounds briefly, then slaps a sterile dressing over it. The other sets up a saline IV and gets it going, handing the bottle to BL to hold for a moment. The driver has meanwhile gotten a litter and set it next to Ennia. The attendants then gently shift the wounded squirrel onto the litter.Burrito Loco: {static}*** ANNOUNCEMENT INCOMING ***
server restart: ~2 minutes*** END OF ANNOUNCEMENT ***Darkstar ::Lars::*watches helpless and frantic.*Burrito Loco: You gonna go with her? Want me along?*Burrito Loco asks LArsDarkstar ::Lars::*stares at the ambulance* You, should, I’m stupid, right now, and you’ll need to help me. I… *Lars just keeps stammering**Knappekat :: the second attendant retrieves the IV bottle while the first gently places an O2 mask on her muzzle. With help from the driver, they move her into the ambulance.

[Server restarts at this point]

{Static}Burrito Loco: They got here fast, and nothing immediately vital is damaged*Knappekat :: one attendant climbs in the back and shuts the door behind them. The ambulance starts up and heads off to the hospital. *Cecil Lancaster is sitting at the bar, drinking a bottle of something significantly stiffer than a light ale, shaking a little. *Larkos sees the shiny out of the corner of his eye and reacts – but again, not like a newbie would. Instead of following the chamber with his eyes or his guns, he simply rolls again, this time to the right, back behind the log. Markus might see him if he knew where to be looking, but even if he did, Larkos knew where he was too. Larkos was, if not a move ahead, at least even, and wasn’t ready to commit everything yet. *Markus Jarnhann catches a blur of motion… and snaps the hammer back on the .44, firing into the log Larkos’d been behind, and once again, before diving further past his log, zipping towards a pair of downed trees somewhat further back, but parallel to the clearing. *Larkos continues his roll clean to the other side of the log as the bullets slam into the wood, peeking out from the right and catching a glimpse of the white head going towards the trees back. He drops a pistol and takes careful aim with the other, squeezing off another two shots before picking up his gun again and rolling back behind the log, even as he measures the distance between the log and the woods behind him. *Knappekat :: the ambulance stops short at the emergency entrance. The attendants open the rear doors, shoo BL and Lars out of the way, and gently pull the litter out. They extend the legs and roll Ennia into the ER, one holding up the IV and the other keeping the O2 mask in place with one hand.They are intercepted by several nurses and a thin monkey in a lab coat, who rush Ennia down a hallway out of sight.Burrito Loco: Well, I think this is where I get off, I’m not family, so I don’t get jackBurrito Loco: She’ll be fine, mate, she’ll be fine*Burrito Loco gives Lars a brotherly hug, turns and heads back to the R&P *Markus Jarnhann slides in on his back behind his trees, the whip-crack of shots snapping past his head getting his attention. He cursed the misfortune that Ennia had managed to piss off someone who was quite good, as he poked his own head back out of cover, firing a third .44 magnum round over Larkos’s log. the 1911 stays in reserve, down at his side. *Larkos calmly watches the bullet go past and tear some leaves off the trees in front of him as it flies, and ticks off information he’s gathered. One, he had more cover for now and could make better use of it; two, neither of them would fall for stupid tricks; and three, this was not going to be easy. All things considered…he smiles, shucks off his trenchcoat, and slowly starts to back up from the log, even as he stays under it. *Markus Jarnhann pauses, staying mostly concealed behind his cover, as he watches. It was a matter of time before his assailant was going to poke his head up, or out… and he would be ready for him. He levelled both pistols on the log, keeping his profile as flat against it as he could… content, now, to wait. He thumbed the hammer back on the .44, and just waited *Mairi finishes her glass, dangling off the couch with head hanging off the edge upside down *Larkos crawls back until he can see the lowest sapling on the trees that are providing cover for Markus and turns so his feet are pointing that way. Guns held loosely at his side and aiming towards the bear’s general direction, Larkos decides to apply some elementary psychology. “So, polar bear, what’s your quarrel with me?”Larkos: ((replace sapling with branch, actaully))*Burrito Loco finds himself in the park as he wanders fairly aimlessly from the hospital back to the R&P *Frank Whittle , a thin monkey in a labcoat, strides into the ER waiting room, and looks around.Frank Whittle: There a Lars here? Lars Smith?*Burrito Loco slowly becomes aware of gunfire somewhere in the park *Burrito Loco clears his head a bit and reaches for a non-existant weapon in a non-existant shoulder holster, which is lying on the ground outside the R&P, and so opts for his heavy revolver *Markus Jarnhann gives no response, beyond sending another round from the .44 down range. He gauges things, mostly the distance, from his spot to Larkos’s log, and how fast, if he were to make a rush, he could get there. He considers the factors, and what he knows; chances were if the shooter was talking, he was either desperate, or cocky, or possibly both. *Burrito Loco tries to place the shots and moves towards them *Larkos isn’t known for desperation in the line of fire, though arrogance has been a repeat label. For now, though, it was neither; merely another stimulus and another response, probing for weaknesses. “I happen to be in possession of a good deal of money, and there are pirates that need to be killed…perhaps we could come to an arrangement?” *Frank Whittle shrugs and heads back to catch up on charts or something like that.Burrito Loco: ((alright we now have a designated doc!))*Markus Jarnhann continues his silence… slowly, and quietly moving into a low crouch behind, obscuring most of his bulk, as he moves again, low to the ground, trying to work his way to Larkos’s flank.Talon Karrde: ((Did somebody call for a Doctor?))Burrito Loco: ((we been doc’d!))*Mairi sits up vaguely, pouring out another measure of liquor and getting some of it into the glass, tipping it back with semi-glazed eyes now as she sprawls over the couch *Burrito Loco hears someone yelling, and figures he’s coming up on Markus and Ennia’s assailant. He guages what to do given that he doesn’t have any idea where they are in realation to each otherBurrito Loco: ((You are greatest doctor!))*Mairi empties the glass, surprisingly managing to consume the whole of it as she tries to set the bottle down on a table that looks a few feet closer than it is *Larkos hmms quietly, and then slides his foot under his trenchcoat and draws it towards his body. With his right hand, he rummages inside the coat and comes out with three nades, which he places by his side.”A pity, polar bear,” he says, hooking the coat onto his left foot and gettting ready for the fireworks. *Burrito Loco finally places the clearing where the two are, but can’t see either of them and waits for someone to make a move *Mairi frowns as the bottle falls and rolls away, leaning to grab it, the empty glass falls as well *Markus Jarnhann slides into position behind another tree, and slides his pistols to the left side of it, focused on where he knew Larkos was. He draws the hammer back on the .44… and finally speaks. “…Aye, lad, ’tis.” *Mairi grasps blindly for a handhold on the couch, squeaking a bit as she grips onto the unattached bottom cushion, falling to the ground as the cushion pulls off over her face *Larkos nods and sets his plan into action, pulling all three pins and very quickly tossing them into position – a smoke to the left and right, setting them up to run down the hill, and then a flash towards Markus’ last known position, aiming it to detonate at eye level. At the last second, he jerks his wrist to the right a bit, realizing a bit too late that if he were Markus, he would’ve moved, and Markus was at least as good as him; the grenade, though, merely flies a few feet to the right. *Burrito Loco sees the flashes and smoke appear in the clearing, and waits for someone to make a break *Knappekat wanders into the tavern after a long, long time. Quite a bit of care seems etched onto his features.

[Ed: I’m not sure what happened here – my original log seems to have missed a line or two]

*[…]ling towards his last positon. The moment it goes off, he rises back to his feet, twisting his body to check what the hell just happened.Knappekat: You uh… Mairi? *he limps over and looks down at the cat.*Mairi groans, having given up her epic battle with the couch, yielding to the cushion threatening to suffocate her, or at least give her a headache from some small amount of oxygen deprivationKnappekat: *plucking the cushion off Mairi’s face* You need a hand?*Mairi peers bleary-eyed at KnappekatMairi: wutchewan’?Burrito Loco: ((so… is Larkos gonna do something?))Knappekat: wutchOOwan is the question. You wanna sleep on the floor?Burrito Loco: ((or can I magically shoot him))Mairi: no’sleep’nLarkos: ((sorry, happening :P))*Knappekat flops onto the couch and sighs, then leans forward to peer at Mairi.Knappekat: You want a blanket and a pillow down there?*Larkos kicks the trenchcoat up into the air and rises up with it, working the feint much like Markus did before – except that he was actually behind the jacket, though not in it. He aims from behind the jacket at where he predicts Markus to be and starts backing up; as soon as the jacket falls enough, he starts shooting, methodically and steadily, as the smoke clouds rise on either side of him.Mairi: m’n’sleep’nKnappekat: Whatcha doing, then?Mairi: nuf’n*Markus Jarnhann rises to his feet… half-scanning for movement elsewhere, before the shots are fired. He too unloads, blasting rounds downrange at the jacket, as rounds zip through he air near him. As he fires the last round from the .44, he slams it into his holster, bringing his left hand to his .45, which he’s already fired four rounds from.Mairi: n’sleep’n, cain’sleep, ne’r.. ne’r c..’n…. ::trailing off as she passes out::*Burrito Loco puts a couple of rounds under the jacket, detecting movementKnappekat: Bloody hell…

{Static}

Bonus! Radio 18/07/08, 0200

Nero Shade: Powerthirst, youll have BABIES! youll have 400 BABIES! Give it to your babies and the run like KENYANS!Zekkass: O_oJiggly: who can? KENY(c)AN!Moros: wait, but it’s menergy. ENERGY FOR MEN!Zekkass: I think that was the weirdest sentence to come into the chat with.Jiggly: with ELECTROLYTESZabrak!: Uh, wrong ZekkMoros: POWERLITESZekkass: Then what is the weirdest sentence?Moros: more lights than your body has room for!Burrito Loco: MORE LITES THAN YOUR BODY HAS ROOM FORZabrak!: There are about a million times weirder sentences I’ve come into chat withJiggly: it’s got what growing plants needNero Shade: Jiggly, the balloons will get blown far enough away that the gun, once the balloons pop, will be very far away form you.Jiggly: hopefully!Zekkass: Ah. Then it’s the weirdest I’ve seen so far.Zabrak!: http://skyrates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2342HK-47: Way, I’ve even given people weirder sentences to walk in on.HK-47: “And by magic, I mean murder.”Jiggly: hahahaLoxus: heh, the first then on my screen is “Way, I’ve even given people weirder sentences to walk in on.”*Loxus fears the meta

[…]

Zabrak!: Ah, the weeklies remain mine*Zabrak! steeples her fingers beneath her Dick Cheney grinJiggly: man, crack is so much smoother when you smoke it out of a hollowed out babyphil: uhAlessan: whoaphil: probably not a skyrates-appropriate topic of discussionZabrak!: I’m sorryphil: yeah seriously zabsHK-47: O_o*Zabrak! retracts her mention of Dick Cheney